Necktie with &#34;zipper&#34;



Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE NE-CKTIE WITH ZIPPER, Marcus L. Minor, Atlanta, Ga.

Application January 30', 1941, Serial No. 376,685

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a necktie of the fourin-hand type having a pre-formed knot from the lower end of which the wide end of the tie depends, and through which the narrow end is thrust to form the collar encircling loop, in situ relative to the wearer.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a necktie of the type described, in which the knot has the form of the frustum of an inverted hollow collar, wider at the top than at the lower end, having a longitudinal cleft at the rear closed by means which opens the cleft in an upward direction to a point which reduces the closed portion of the knot to a narrow annulus through which the free end of the narrow end of the tie may be readily thrust, upon the finger, and caught by the fingers below, through the open cleft, and pulled into tight relationship with respect to the collar, the closing of the cleft reshaping the knot and bringing frictional pressure upon the portion of the tie which extends through it, holding the tie taut, and preventing slipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tie of the class described, in which the cleft is closed by a zipper type slide fastener.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tie of the type described, in which the tab of the zipper? slide has a spur adapted to impale the narrow portion of the tie as an additional safeguard against slippage.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear of a necktie embodying the principles of the present invention, the cleft being open;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the cleft closed; and

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the slide fastener with tie securing spur.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral l represents in general a necktie of the four-in-hand type, the knot portion which in general is represented by the reference character 2 being pre-formed, and comprising several plies of material, one of which may be a stifiening lining 3, said knot being formed in the shape of the frustum of an inverted cone having a cleft 4 extending longitudinally along the back of the knot from the lower end to a point adjacent the upper end. Said cleft is normally closed by a slide fastener 5 of the zipper type, opening from the bottom in an upward direction. The wide end 6 of the tie is secured to the lower end of the knot at the front, that is, on the side of the knot opposite the cleft 4. The narrow end 1 of the tie which includes the neck embracing portion 8 is stitched or otherwise secured to the top of the knot, to one side.

It is intended that this tie shall be tied, that is to say, secured in place, in situ, relative to the wearer. slide fastener is slipped upwardly, opening the cleft up to the point l0 adjacent the top of the knot. This reduces the closed portion of the knot to a narrow encircling annulus l l. The free end 1 is placed about the shirt collar, and the end 1 is introduced into the top of the knot upon the finger, and pushed through the encircling annulus l I until it reaches a point below the top of the open cleft. The end 1 is then grasped by the fingers, through the cleft, and pulled down through the knot. The free end I is then drawn down until the neck embracing portion 8 is snugly tied about the shirt collar. The slide fastener is then pulled to closed position. This draws in the bottom portion of the knot, re-shaping the front of the knot and constricting the knot against the material of the free end portion I, preventing it slipping through the knot.

It is not necessary to pull the tie up tight around the collar before closing the slide fastener. This may be done as a matter of convenience, if desired, while the necktie is still some distance away from its normal position at the front of the collar and the narrow portion 1 may be pulled through the closed knot for drawing the necktie up to its proper position. A tie of this type has every advantage of a completely hand tied tie, and the further advantage that the knot will never wrinkle, nor is it necessary that the narrow portion should ever be made to wrinkle by drawing it through the knot while it is in closed and tight condition.

As a further safeguard against slipping, the tab l2 of the slide 9 is provided with a spur l3, which points downwardly when the tab is in its depending position. The narrow portion of the tie back of the tab may be impaled upon this spur, which acts as a positive locking means for the tie, and the tie in turn acts as a locking means for holding the slide in closed position, so that it cannot inadvertently work up and partially open the cleft.

In the event that the spur is not used or even In securing the tie, the slide 9 of the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Necktie comprising a knot portion of fabric" formed as the frustum of a hollow inverted cone with a longitudinal cleft at the back extending from the lower end upward to a point near but short of the upper end, the upper part of said knot portion forming a permanently closed annulus and the cleft extending downwardly from said permanently closed part to and through the lower edge of the knot portion, a relatively wide tie end portion permanently secured to the lower end of the knot portion at the front thereof and depending therefrom, and a relatively narrow tie end ortion including the collar band permanently secured to the top of the knot portion at one side thereof, and an upwardly opening slide fastener closing said cleft.

2. Necktie as claimed in claim 1, said slide fastener having a tab, and a spur on said tab adapted to engage the adjacent part of the relatively'narrow tie portion.

MARCUS L. MINOR. 

